We are bicycle commuters in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana. This is our effort to raise awareness of bicycle commuters, encourage more people to get on their bikes, and identify issues pertaining to those of us who use a bicycle for transportation.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Cars in bike lane, bikes running lights and drug dealers on the way home

Yes folks, that is a car stopped at a red light, in the bike lane. Please note, that this car had just passed me on the right! This older gentleman should not have a driver's license. But to be fair, a block up the road, a cyclist ran the red light at Lafayette. I also witnessed a possible drug deal across the street from Lakeside park. It was quite an exciting commute home!

More info from the Indiana on-line driver improvement course:"A bicycle can legally ride in a traffic lane on the road, provided it can keep up with the flow of regular vehicular traffic. A vehicle, however, can only cross into a bicycle lane when making a right turn. Do not drive in the bicycle lane except within the last 200 feet before the intersection where the right turn will be made. You may not cross a bicycle lane unless entering or leaving the highway, preparing to turn, or parking where parking is permitted. Bicycles typically ride near the right curb of the road, but may move into the lane to the left to pass another bicycle or vehicle or to avoid hitting another object. Special care and extra space needs should be observed when driving near a bicycle."Dan

Thanks for.the comments everyone. @Dan I dont know if I follow you. The driver passed me on the right in the parking lane. There was nobody parked there. Then he cut me off in order to drive in the bike lane until he was stopped at the light at Lafayette. That is when I stopped.and took the picture. There was no turning.

Ahhh . . . that's bad! I didn't understand that from the post and the other comments sounded like they were surprised or against a car in the bike lane. Personally I think they need marked better at the intersections downtown. Thanks for the clarification.

Ok then I have a question. When I rode towards the intersection, the first car was stopped in the bike lane with turn signal flashing. Three more cars were behind him, and one of those had a turn signal on, but they were in their proper (car) lane. So I pulled up in the bike lane behind the car. Was I correct to do this? It seemed that I should take my place in my lane, even if one car driver was in it incorrectly.

Melissa: Hard to say how to "follow the rules" when not everyone does it the same way. (Happens all the time though so good question.) In that situation I think it would be safer to do as you said . . . to wait behind the last car, because you never know if any of those other cars will turn as well without signaling. However it gets more complicated as more cars stack up next to and behind you in the car lane. If you were confident that all the cars next to and behind you could see you in the bike lane, then you could argue it is safer to pull up behind the first car as you did. I could see handling it either way depending on you skill/level of confidence, etc. These "gray area" situations happen all the time and I think it points out the continued need for education of both motorists and cyclists (as well as cutting each other a bit of slack because the rules can be confusing/hard to follow in some situations.) Honestly, as a motorist, I make my share of mistakes and misjudgements too. Hopefully we all learn from them get get where we're going safely.

My understanding is that you pull up in the bike lane as far as you can at a light. Any cars which are turning across the bike lane are to yield the right of way to the bike lane. This is the same that they would do if a pedestrian in the crosswalk.

Now I personally watch the front tires of any car beside me at a light. Any cars that are stacked up behind that car I am not concerned about because I should be nearly through the intersection before they would be able to turn.

From the Journal Gazette today (http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110604/LOCAL0203/306049932/1002/LOCAL):

Share road with more than cars

Benjamin Lanka | The Journal GazetteRoads designed to accommodate more than just motorized vehicles are becoming more common, but sometimes mixing different modes of transportation can create conflicts.

Q. Going east on Wayne Street and turning right onto Clinton, if I stay in the right lane until I turn, another car frequently pulls up on my right in the bike lane to make his own turn, resulting in a near collision.

What is proper protocol here? – Jerry M.

A. Well, Jerry, being safe is always the best protocol, but unfortunately we can’t control what other drivers do.

Marty Bender, deputy Fort Wayne police chief, said at this intersection there is a small area past the parking meters that serves as a kind of one-car turn lane. He said it is appropriate for vehicles to cross the bike lanes and enter this area to turn.

Bender said vehicles should not travel in bike lanes, but turning, obviously, requires driving through them. This is fine as long as no bicycle is present.

The good news is that Bender said the area is going to receive a fresh coat of paint soon.